On the Expedition
Urgent research into factors contributing to sea turtle extinction around the world.
You will spend the day working on North Stradbroke Island, only accessible by ferry, where Dr Kathy Townsend has been studying these endangered sea turtles. You will learn about the threats to endangered sea turtles, spending your mornings in the lab helping with the dissection of a dead turtle and analysis of plastics that contribute to their mortality. Later in the day you'll survey the shoreline for waste, record and catalogue the results, then collect the rubbish that threatens these beloved turtles.
Meals and Accommodations
All refreshments including buffet style lunch, water and snacks will be provided.
About the Research Area
North Stradbroke Island, one of the world's largest sand islands, is situated at the southern end of Moreton Bay, one hour from Brisbane and accessible by vehicular ferry or water taxi from Cleveland.
The island’s sandy white dunes and beaches are sparely vegetated and can be extremely fragile. The eastern side of the island contains the Blue Lake National Park and the southern part of the island is closed to the public due to sand mining. The centre of the island contains a series of ecologically important wetlands and freshwater lakes which are not regularly flushed out, and consequently are particularly sensitive to pollution and artificially increased nutrient levels.
The waters off North Stradbroke Island have a unique mix of colder southern waters and warmer northern waters. This combination provides a home for manta rays in the summer and other marine life including sea turtles, dolphins, eagle rays, barracoudas and spanish mackeral throughout the year.
Between June and November humpback whales pass the island on their annual migration from Antarctica to their calving grounds near the Great Barrier Reef. While the calves are still quite young, they make their return journey passing close to the island where they can be easily spotted from various lookouts.
Moreton Bay Marine Park surrounding the island is one of the few places in the world where large numbers of dugongs can be found. There are believed to be between six and seven hundred in the area. These shy marine mammals live in shallow tropical waters and feed almost exclusively on local species of seagrass.
The island’s climate is subtropical, with temperatures in ranging from an average of 20°C in July to 28°C in February.